Kilimanjaro is a go!
Moshi, Tanzania
Well, I just paid for a hike up Kilimanjaro starting this Friday, so it looks like this is a go. There was a bit of financial manoeuvring to pay for the trip since I didn't come with much US currency and the exchange rates around here aren't anything to get excited about. After finding only one place that would do a cash advance on a credit card at a terrible rate, I was a little concerned until I decided to just see how far I could get withdrawing Tanzanian Shillings from an ATM. 1.2 million shillings later, I had my answer. Luckily that covered the 1.12 million I owed for the climb, which is roughly 920$US. Crazily, the largest bill in circulation is a 10,000 Shilling bill, so I had a rather full pocket of cash as I walked from the bank to the trekking company.
Of interest is that out of the 920$US, 633$US goes towards park fees. The fees for Kilimanjaro are 60$US/night for entry, 40$US/night for camping, a flat 20$US fee for "rescue" and some other fees you have to pay for each guide/porter. The remainder, less then 300$US goes towards 6 days of food, one guide, three porters and whatever else it costs to actually run a trekking company. Incidentally, before January 1st, 2006, the daily park fee was 30$US. And yet, even with this 100% increase, effective this July 1st, 2006, the daily camping fee will increase from 40$US/night to 50$US/night. Apparently the government is enjoying this nice little cash cow.
Anyways, 920$US isn't the cheapest rate nor is it anywhere near the most expensive, but with several personal recommendations they seem like the best fit for me. Now I just hope the weather cooperates a bit so that I can actually get some decent photos. Right now, it's raining, for the second time today, and the mountain is covered in clouds...
Kenny
Well, I just paid for a hike up Kilimanjaro starting this Friday, so it looks like this is a go. There was a bit of financial manoeuvring to pay for the trip since I didn't come with much US currency and the exchange rates around here aren't anything to get excited about. After finding only one place that would do a cash advance on a credit card at a terrible rate, I was a little concerned until I decided to just see how far I could get withdrawing Tanzanian Shillings from an ATM. 1.2 million shillings later, I had my answer. Luckily that covered the 1.12 million I owed for the climb, which is roughly 920$US. Crazily, the largest bill in circulation is a 10,000 Shilling bill, so I had a rather full pocket of cash as I walked from the bank to the trekking company.
Of interest is that out of the 920$US, 633$US goes towards park fees. The fees for Kilimanjaro are 60$US/night for entry, 40$US/night for camping, a flat 20$US fee for "rescue" and some other fees you have to pay for each guide/porter. The remainder, less then 300$US goes towards 6 days of food, one guide, three porters and whatever else it costs to actually run a trekking company. Incidentally, before January 1st, 2006, the daily park fee was 30$US. And yet, even with this 100% increase, effective this July 1st, 2006, the daily camping fee will increase from 40$US/night to 50$US/night. Apparently the government is enjoying this nice little cash cow.
Anyways, 920$US isn't the cheapest rate nor is it anywhere near the most expensive, but with several personal recommendations they seem like the best fit for me. Now I just hope the weather cooperates a bit so that I can actually get some decent photos. Right now, it's raining, for the second time today, and the mountain is covered in clouds...
Kenny
posted by Kenny Carruthers at 3/15/2006 05:42:00 AM
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